Development of a Sustainable Waterway Masterplan on an Amazon Megariver: The Madeira River, Brazil
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 5
Abstract
An interdisciplinary and multicriteria design process was developed to optimize navigation and environmental objectives for the Madeira River in Brazil. A fluvial geomorphology study identified development reaches based on geologic stability with an average periodicity of 57 km. A low water reference plane (LWRP) was established representing a 90% exceedance stage based on bathymetric data collected from the Brazilian Navy and a combination of hydrological analysis and hydraulic modeling. Critical shoals and rock outcrop locations were identified based on a proposed 3.6 m draft at the LWRP. Channel dimensions were established based on Brazilian design criteria with the goal of minimizing potential repetitive maintenance dredging and allowing for adaptive management of the navigation channel location. All but one of the 17 critical navigation sites were located in the upper 640 km of the Madeira River, and site-specific designs using river training structures (dikes) were developed at 4 of the sand shoal locations. These designs were analyzed using a one-dimensional sediment transport model in HEC-RAS to evaluate the potential self-scouring response at the river training structures. The final masterplan includes beneficial reuse of large woody debris for temporary river training structures, permanent (rock) river training structures, rock removal, maintenance dredging with strategic placement to promote channel self-scour, aids to navigation, adaptive channel management, and the development of a national monitoring plan.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Amorim, R., A. Castañon, B. Alberto, and C. Creech. 2019. “Comprehensive numerical hydraulic model of the Madeira river.” In Proc., 23rd Simpósio Brasileiro de Recursos Hidrícos Conf., 1–10. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil: Associação Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos.
ANA. 2020. “Hidroweb, v3.1.1.” Accessed January 13, 2020. http://hidroweb.ana.gov.br/.
ANTAQ (Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários). 2021. “Estatístico Aquaviário.” Accessed February 24, 2021. http://web.antaq.gov.br/Anuario/.
Biswas, A., N. Cordeiro, B. Braga, and C. Tortajada-Quiroz. 1999. Management of major Latin American rivers: Amazon, La Plata and São Francisco. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.
Bridges, T. S., J. Lillycrop, J. R. Wilson, T. J. Fredette, B. Suedel, C. J. Banks, and E. J. Russo. 2014. “Engineering with nature promotes triple-win outcomes.” Terra Aqua 135 (2): 17–23.
Corum, Z., R. Amorim, and C. Creech. 2019. “Navigation and ecological implications for management of large wood on the Madeira river, Amazonas basin, Brazil.” In SEDHYD Conf., 1–15. Reno, NV: SEDHYD, Inc.
Creech, C., R. Amorim, A. Castañon, S. Gibson, W. Veatch, and T. Lauth. 2018a. “A planning framework for improving reliability of inland navigation on the Madeira river in Brazil.” In PIANC-World Congress, 1–20. Panama City, Panama: World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.
Creech, C., A. Castañon, R. Amorim, and S. Gibson. 2018b. “Sediment transport model of the Madeira river using HEC-RAS for waterway design.” In Proc., 13th Brazilian Meeting of Sediment Engineering, 1–8.
Creech, C., S. Gibson, A. Castañon, J. Hazelton, R. Amorim, and T. Lauth. 2019. “Combined fluvial geomorphology, sediment transport and hydrodynamic model of navigation improvement designs on the Madeira river, Brazil.” In SEDHYD Conf., 1–15.
DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes). 2016. Boletim Administrativo No. 172. Brasilia, Brazil: DNIT.
DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes) and USACE. 2017a. Madeira river navigation improvement planning study: Fluvial geomorphology report. Brasilia, Brazil: DNIT.
DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes) and USACE. 2017b. Madeira river navigation improvement planning study: Hydraulic modeling report. Brasilia, Brazil: DNIT.
DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes) and USACE. 2017c. Madeira river navigation improvement planning study: Statistical hydrology report. Brasilia, Brazil: DNIT.
DNIT (Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes) and USACE. 2019. Madeira river navigation improvement planning study: Final report. Brasilia, Brazil: DNIT.
ESA (European Space Agency). 2010. Globcover (2009). Paris: ESA.
Gibson, S., A. Osorio, C. Creech, R. Amorim, M. Dircksen, T. Dahl, and M. Koohafkan. 2019. “Two pool-to-pool spacing periods on large sand-bed rivers: Mega-pools on the Madeira and Mississippi.” Geomorphology 328: 196–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.12.021.
Latrubesse, E. M. 2008. “Patterns of anabranching channels: The ultimate end-member adjustment of mega rivers.” Geomorphology 101 (1–2): 130–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.05.035.
Marinha do Brasil. 2020. “Cartas Raster. Centro de Hidrografia da Marinha.” Accessed January 13, 2020. https://www.marinha.mil.br/chm/dados-do-segnav/cartas-raster.
Moreira, D. 2016. “Geodésia aplicada ao monitoramento hidrológico da bacia amazônica.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, UFRJ.
Osorio, A., C. Creech, R. Amorim, J. Hazelton, and S. Gibson. 2019. “Sediment transport modeling and morphodynamic analysis of navigation improvement designs on the Madeira river, Brazil.” In SMART Rivers 2019 Conf. Lyon, France: The World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.
PCE (Projetos e Consultorias de Engenharia). 2015. Levantamento Topobatimétrico do Rio Madeira para Acompanhamento da Evolução do Leitoa Jusante da UHE Santo Antônio. [Topo-bathymetric survey of the Rio Madeira to evaluate the evolution of the bed downstream of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric power facility] Porto Velho, Brazil: PCE.
PIANC (World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure). 2008. Working with nature. PIANC Position Paper. Brussels, Belgium: PIANC.
PIANC (World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure). 2018. A guide for applying working with nature to navigation infrastructure projects. Working Group EnviCom 176. Brussels, Belgium: PIANC.
PIANC (World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure). 2019. Design guidelines for inland waterway dimensions. Rep. No. 141. Brussels, Belgium: PIANC.
Rosseto, M. 2013. “Proveniência sedimentar das areias holocênicas do Rio Madeira, Amazon, Brasil.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Geosciences, Universidade de São Paulo.
Rossetti, D. F., T. C. Bertani, H. Zani, E. H. Cremon, and E. H. Hayakawa. 2012. “Late quaternary sedimentary dynamics in Western Amazonia: Implications for the origin of open vegetation/forest contrasts.” Geomorphology 177–178: 74–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.07.015.
Rossetti, D. F., M. C. L. Cohen, T. C. Bertani, E. H. Hayakawa, J. D. S. Paz, D. F. Castro, and Y. Friaes. 2014. “Late quaternary fluvial terrace evolution in the main southern Amazonian tributary.” Catena 116: 19–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2013.11.021.
Teixeira, S., and M. Maia. 2009. “Análise da dinâmica das margens do rio Madeira (am) no períod de 1987 à 2007. a partir de imagens de sensores remotos Òpticos.” In Proc., 14th Simpósio Brasileiro de Sensoriamento Remoto, 1559–1566. Natal, Brazil: Instituto Nacional de Pesquias Espaciais.
USACE. 1982. Channel widths in bends and straight reaches between bends for push towing. Technical Rep. No. HL-82-25. Vicksburg, MS: USACE.
USACE. 1997. Layout and design of shallow-draft waterways. EM 1110-2-1611. Washington, DC: USACE.
USACE. 2000. Planning guidance notebook. ER 1105-2-100. Washington, DC: USACE.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 16, 2020
Accepted: Apr 8, 2021
Published online: Jun 9, 2021
Published in print: Sep 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Nov 9, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.